Belconnen United’s 1-0 success over Canberra Croatia saw Lauren Preston captain Scott Conlon’s side to their second cup success in as many years, in a feat she attributes to the motivated squad environment generated in recent seasons.
The Blue Devils’ success at Deakin Stadium made it 10 wins out of 11 matches in both the league and cup in 2024, in a victory that Preston attributes to her side’s commitment to winning matches.
“It feels really good, the girls really deserve it, we’ve been working really hard, we’ve been in enough of these that we’ve lost so I think the win feels great for everybody,” she said.
While this Belconnen side are still a young one, their final performance was reminiscent of a vastly more experienced squad, having been in control of the match for much of the occasion. The Blue Devils’ captain says that the squad’s familiarity with each other is the reason why such a young squad was able to perform so commandingly in a high-pressure environment.
“We have played together for a while, so I think that’s how we do that,” Preston commented. “I think Scott gives us the same message each time, so that’s how we play.”
Conlon’s consistent directions when it comes to match preparations has worked wonders for Belconnen, with the club currently sitting top of the NPLW, however their title charge took a hit in Round 9 as they fell to defeat for the first time in the league to Gungahlin United.
Preston has indicated that Conlon’s directives heading into their meeting with Croatia, were very much centered around tempering his side’s disappointment.
“I think the message was really to keep the loss behind us,” she outlined. “I think that was really hard for a lot of us to get over because we’d been winning so much, so moving on from that just having a calm week, practicing the things we were practicing, nothing too out of the blue, just coming in nice and chilled for the final.”
With United continuing to achieve more trophies, to the squad and Preston, the potential return of consistent success to McKellar Park has never felt more feasible.
“I think yeah it does,” Preston answered, when asked if it feels like Belconnen is back. “I’ve been with the squad for three years, so I think us now is probably the best we’ve ever felt, winning the cup, winning in the season, so yeah I think we are back hopefully, fingers crossed, we can only hope, and we will just keep trying our best.”
Looking ahead to the remainder of the 2024 NPLW season, Preston says that winning a trophy still relatively early in the season, as they did 12 months ago, significantly contributes to a side’s belief in their ability to pick up more silverware, therefore indicating the likelihood of this already formidable Blue Devils outfit, to be spurred on by their success throughout the remainder of the campaign.
“It gives us the confidence that we need,” the captain said. “As we are younger nerves do come through, so I think winning the cup and especially on this kind of stage, it just gives us the confidence and the affirmation that we can do it.”
Words: Sam Watson